Rice Surplus May Be Exported to Philippines

VIVAnews - Indonesia is trying to build a partnership with the Philippines regarding rice protection by exporting rice surplus to the Philippines. Indonesia is also attempting to team up with Vietnam protect rice stock by importing rice from Vietnam.

President Director of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Mustafa Abubakar said on Wednesday, May 6, "The memorandum of understanding involving Vietnam aims at protecting domestic rice supply by one million tons. On the other hand, we can export rice surplus to the Philippines."

The collaboration with Vietnam on rice import and the Philippines on rice export is only implemented on medium rice production whose production is dependent to nature.

Abubakar said that the memorandum of understanding between Indonesia and Vietnam is more a preventive action than rice import contract. The Indonesia-Vietnam MoU which will end in 30 December 2009 ensures national rice security. This agreement functions as a back-up if national production is inadequate. The agreement with Vietnam is extended to 2012.

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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman